still pray, that God may so direct the Royall Off spring, as that may be done
which shall tend to his glory, and the peace and happinesse of the Kingdom.
After which, and the prayers ended, laying his head to the Block, the Executioner
severed his head from his body at one blow which was both taken up, put into
a costin, and carryed away in a Coach. The next that was brought to the Scaffold,
was the E. of Holland, who delivered this ensuing speech to the people, viz.
Holland. I think it is fit to say something, since God hath called me to this place.
The first thing which I must prosesse, is. what concernes my Religon, and my
breeding, which hath been in a good Family that hath ever been faithfull to
the true protestant Religion, in the which I have lived: I hope God will forgive
me my sins, since I conceive it is very much his pleasure to bring me to this
place; for the sins that I have committed, The cause that hath brought me hither,
I believe by many hath been much mistaken. They have conceived that I
have had ill designs to the State and to the Kingdome: truly I look upon it as
a judgement and a judgement of God; not but I have offended so much the
State, and the Kingdom, and the Parliament, as that I have had an extream vanity
in serving them very extraordinarily, For those actions that I have done I
have done, I think it is knowne, they have been ever very faithfull to the publique,
and very particularly to Parliaments. My affections have been ever exprest
truly and clearly to them. The disposition of affairs now have put things
in another posture then they were when I was engaged whit the parliament, I
have never gone off from those principles that I have professed: I have lived in
them, and by Gods grace will dye in them, there may be alteration and changes
that may carry them further then I thought reasonable and truly there I left
them: but there hath ben nothing that I have said or done or
professed either by
Covenant or Declaration, which hath not been clear upon the principles that I
have ever gone upon viz. For Religion, King, parliament and the Common-Wealth,
and to seek the peace of the Kingdom: and God be praysed, although
my bloud comes to be shed here, there was I think fearcely a drop of blood shed
in that action, that I was engaged in. For the present affairs as they are, I cannot
tell how to judge of them, and truly they are in such a condition as (I conceive
no body can make a judgement of them, and therefore I must make use of
my prayers rather then of my opinion, which are, that God would blesse this
Kingdom this Nation. this State, that he would set it in away agreeable to what
this Kingdome hath been happily governed under by a King, by the Lords, by the
Commons, a government that it hath flourished much under, and I pray God the
change of it bring not rather a prejudice, a disorder, and a confusion, then the
contrary, I look upon the posterity of the King, and truly my conscience directs
me to it, to desire, that if God be pleased that these people may look upon
them with that affection that they owe, that they may be called in again and they
may be not through blood, nor through disorder, admitted again into the power
and to that glory that God in their birth intended to them, I shall pray with all
my soul for the happinesse of this State, of this Nation, that the blood which is
here spilt, may be even the last which may fall among us: and truly I should lay
down my life with as much cheerfulnesse as ever person did, if I conceived that